Improvement in shaft-coupling



-SILAS C. SCHOFIELD, OF CHICAGO, ILIiIIljI Sl` vLettera 4Patent No. 63,182, dated March.26,1867.

dlgs .tlgehnlt referrer t irtlges'e etfrrs gnent mit matin itt nf t t same. v

TO ALL WHOM IT` MAY'CONOERN:

Be it known that I, SILAS C. SCHOEIELD, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, ai dmState `ofi'MIlli'nois, ,have invented a new and useful Improvement iuSafety-Ccuplings for Tumbling Shafts ;l and I do hereby declare and make known that the following Iis afull, clear, :index ,act description of the sam e, referxehce being'had to the accompanying drawings and the letters and figures'rnarked thereon, which form part of this specification.

lThe object o f my invention is to dispense with the 'connecting-pinswhich projec'J through the ringV in the ordinaryl coupling, and are extremely liable to. catch the clothes of persons passingnear, and thu's to wound, maim, or kill such persons by winding or revolving around the shaft and dashing theiragainst neighboring timbers or other. obstacles; and it'coxi'sists in providing the forks of the coupling with lugs,"gudgeons, or the,

equivalents, which enter suitabl'e'chambers or recesses in theinteyior face o'f the ring, as hereinafter more fully described, thus affording a sure and safe coupling, all danger as aforesaidbeing wholly avoided.

To c nable thoseskilled in the' art to nderstand how to 'construct and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with partieularity, making reference in so doing vto the aforesaid drawings, in which-- Figure 1 represents aside view of my said invention.-

Figure 2, a similar view, the ring being in section.

Figure 3,' an lend view lof the said ring and= Figure 4,.a central section through the same.l

Similarletters of referencein the several gures denote the same parts of my invention. .I

A represents'the couplingv ring, and B B the forks or prongs of the coupling into which thev parts offthe tumbling rod enter, received -in suitable sockets, as shown. The prongs of the coupling are provided with gudf vgenus or pins D, projecting laterally from said prong's, but are not longehoughtopass through the ring,gbut

res't in suitable-chambers in theinterior surface thereof, marked a, being indicated bydotted llines intlg. 3, and

full lines i-njtig. 4. These chambers are'arranged opposite each other, and have each an opening in the iangeA orl rim c, as shown at b, whereat the gudggons D may enter into said chambers.A The said chambers extend each way from said openings, so that the fork introduced 'upon one side of the ring maybe turned into the recess either side of the opening at which it was introduced Sto permit the other fork to enter onthe other. side in the same manner, and be turned in'the opposite direction intothe' recess on the opposite side of said openings, so

that-*the 'forks will stand at' right angles with each other as shown; while vthe gudgeons with which said forks are provided rest against opposite ends of the saidchambers; the respective positions ofsaid forks" with regard to the chambers being changed according as the shaft is revolved -in one direction.. or the other, thus forming a coupling for tumbling rods of great flexibility, with but little friction, and which at the same time possesses the merit of being perfectly safe from any-of the accidents usually incident to lcouplings of the ordinary construc' tion. 'The forks of the coupling may be dispensedwith by making the ring of suiicient width, so that the-- chambers in which the gudgeons lie may be wideenough to receivel'them side by side, in' which oasethe cham.- hers might be divided by a partition, making two chambers upon eachside of the ring.

Having described the construction and operation of my inventiomlrwill now specifyfwhat I claim and.

desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. I claim providing the coupling forks or heads B with gudgeons or their equivalents, D, substantially as und forthe purposes specified.

2. I claim constructing the ring A with two chambers, a, provided with lateral openings, b, substantially in the manner andfor the purposes set forthand shown.`

3. I claim the combination of the i'orks or heads provided with the gudgeons '1), or their equivalents, with the chambered ring A, arranged and operating substantially as specified aud-for the purposes described.

Y I SILAS C. SCHOFIELD. Witnesses:

W. E. M Anas,

L. L. Co'BU'RN. 

